Clara Martin

I have always liked to document people in their daily lives. I think that capturing life as it is can be very powerful. I was inspired by Bill Brett and his work. I decided that like Brett, I want to document people of Melrose and their lives at work, and what they do for the community. But instead of just documenting the extraordinary, I want to capture the ordinary people at work here in Melrose who make the city run.

I feel it is important to highlight the day to day work of the people here who don’t often get much attention. Drawing recognition to the working people of Melrose will hopefully lead to more appreciation for them. I am a big believer in little acts of kindness can make the biggest difference, so my hope in doing this project was that the subjects feel that they are appreciated and that their work is important. These people make such a difference in the community but do not get the attention they deserve.

As a part of my project, in addition to taking portraits of Melrose citizens and their workplaces, I came up with a 5-7 question interview to give some context about who they are. I asked questions regarding how they liked working in Melrose, what they liked about their job, and a bit about their background. These interviews allowed me to build more trust between the subject and I, allowing me to capture more relaxed, candid shots of the business owners. An added bonus of this project is that I myself got to learn more about the lives of the people who make Melrose run, building a better connection to my community. I hope that this project can help others like me have more insight and personal connection to our community members.

Lorrie DiCesare, the owner of Hourglass Gift Shop for 20 years. She has lived in Melrose for 27 years, loving the close-knit community here. She is passionate about helping out whenever she can in the community, supporting local artists in her shop. Hourglass Gift Shop hosts a wide range of items, from handmade jewelry, to clothing, to artisan soap and perfumes. Upon checking out at the counter, you can find a small bowl of wish stones, painted bright colors with words like “Dream” or “Love”.

Mr. Macauley, who owns Macauley’s House of Vacuum near Melrose High School. He is an avid collector of historical Melrosian artifacts such as old MHS prom pictures, maps of Melrose dating back to the early 1900’s and address books containing old residents of Melrose. His vacuum cleaning service house is crowded with collectibles and artifacts, as well as vacuums of course. He is a hero of Melrose every November, where he single handedly cooks and serves a Thanksgiving meal to anyone who needs it. (Mr. Macauley requested not to have his picture taken).

Robin Peevey is the owner of the grandly successful Buckalews in downtown Melrose. Robin has lived in Melrose for 14 years. After moving around a fair amount, she says that Melrose is the “nicest place I’ve ever lived,” loving the friendliness and community. After a long break from her catering company, Robin bought a building on Main Street with the idea of starting her own business. Buckalew’s is a local general store, selling lots of food and treats like candy, chocolate, crackers, cheese, and maple syrup. They designate the back of the store to beer, cider, and wine. There is also a section of Buckalew’s in the front which contains perfect house party gifts like cutting boards, wine glasses, and Melrose themed towels and art.

Joe Auciello is the store owner of Wood and Fire, the small but modern Italian restaurant serving delicious, authentic food. Joe is from North Reading but started up his business here in Melrose following his other location in Arlington. He says he is a “fan of Melrose,” loving the downtown area. He started up Wood and Fire four years ago. He is fond of the community and the friendliness of the people. When I asked him about what his favorite part of his job was, he responded immediately with, "I have a passion for cooking, and interacting with the people.” Wood and Fire serves a variety of Italian classics like spaghetti and meatballs, as well as salads and fine wines.

Kenny Nguyen is the longtime owner of Russo’s Cleaners and Laundromat. He lives in Quincy but has worked here in Melrose since 2003. Kenny came into the laundromat business to help his brother-in-law when he started Russo’s. He has been in Melrose for a long time, and he tries to “take care of my customers”. His job is challenging, requiring lots of technical prowess and technique. Russo’s is located on Essex Street in Melrose, just off of Main Street. My family personally has a strong connection to Russo’s, because my dad has gone to Kenny’s business for his laundry and hemming jobs for many years. I remember as a kid going into the laundromat with my dad and getting to pick a lollipop from Kenny’s large bowl on the counter.

Jim Halligan is the owner and founder of Miter Biter Framing Company on Main Street. He was born at the Winchester Hospital and grew up around this area, buying his first house in Melrose in 1969. He has had the store for 46 years, opening it in 1973. Before starting his business, he was a chemistry teacher and pharmacist, but he had a hobby of making frames, so he decided to start a framing business. He makes all of the frames in his shop by hand. Most of the frames are custom made for each customer. When asked about what he likes about Melrose, he responded that Melrose is a very inclusive and diverse community- “diversity is a wonderful thing.” Miter Biter Framing is stocked full of frames of all colors and sizes, along with a variety of postcards and prints. An interesting side offering of the store is their custom print jobs- restorations of old or damaged prints.